KING OF THE RING RESULT: MANANQUIL OUTPOINTS RODRIGUEZ TO CAPTURE ABF TITLE (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Mar 2014
Unbeaten Filipino Flyweight Ben Mananquil (L) of was forced to go the distance against crafty Gensan journeyman Michael Rodriguez to capture by unanimous decision the Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) Flyweight Title Saturday night (March 22) at the packed gym of Benguet State University (BSU) in La Trinidad, Benguet Province, Philippines.
The 10-round win marked Ben Mananquil's return to action after his highly controversial August 2013 draw against world-rated Kwanpichit OnesongchaiGym in Chum Saeng, Thailand, a short but thrilling war in which the shorter Manangquil relentlessly battered, punished and knocked down the Thai boxer. The Filipino should have deserved the win.
But that did not happen because a small cut on the Thailander's eye (product of Mananquil's savage attacks) was ruled a head butt by the biased Thai referee. The battle was conveniently stopped and declared a technical draw.
That August 2013 outcome seemed in line with the old popular saying that "in Thailand you have to knock out your opponent to get away with a draw."
But last Saturday night Mananquil (10-0-1, 2 KO's) was the rightful winner and so declared. The promising 22-year-old Zamboangue?o southpaw trains at the Highland Boxing Gym under head coach Erickson Asenjo (in one of the photos wearing green polo) and managed by the active Brico Santig, director of La Trinidad's Highland Boxing Gym.
OTHER EXCITING RESULTS
In ladies boxing, the pretty 23-year-old Norj Guro (7-3-1, 4 KO's) of Lanao del Norte outpointed newcomer Rosemarie Cruz (0-2, 0 KO's) during their entertaining 4-round battle.
In another girls fight, Filipina 105-pounder Carleans "Chay" Rivas (3-1-3, 0 KO's) scored a 4-round unanimous decision win over the cute Japanese debutant Oshiru Tamami (0-1, 0 KO's).
In guys boxing, 28-year-old veteran Lightweight Amor Tino (14-16-4, 4 KO's) of Baguio and welterweight Alejandro Anas, 27, of La Trinidad battled to a 10-round draw.
In addition, Japanese jr. flyweight rookie Kaito Hattori (1-0-1, 0 KO's) outpointed Filipino Ronnie Rejino (0-2, 0 KO's) in their 4-rounder action clash.
In a 108-pound skirmish, tough Riku Kanou (1-1-, 0 KO's) from the land of the Rising Sun got the nod over brave pinoy Rogie Cantos (1-6, 1 KO).
"Tonight's 'King of the Ring' was an entertaining evening of boxing at BSU. There were no knockouts, but all fights were competitive. We had a good main event, girls boxing, Japanese against Filipinos and a really nice feeling of competition and brotherhood in boxing. I could see fans, students and faculty at BSU having a great time, as well as the boxers themselves. We'd like to have another boxing event here at BSU in the future. I had a good time too," said the young promoter Brico Santig, a winner of the prestigious WBC Asian Promoter of the Year award.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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